IT’S all set for the staging of the Davao Catholic Church Athletic Association (Dacs) Basic Education Sportsfest 2018 that will open on August 1 at the St. Peters College of Toril (SPCT).

This year's theme is “Champions for Christ: Call to Service and Holiness”.

The sportsfest, which will serve as qualifying meet for the Unit 6 composition to the Davao City Athletic Association (Dcaa) Meet, will be participated by 24 of of 26 Dacs-member schools.

A cheerdance competition will follow after the opening rites.

The annual sportsfest, which is also a qualifier for the Catholic Education Association of the Philippines (Ceap) Meet, will end on September 8.

Dacs sports consultant Billy Cruzada said over 1,000 athletes will compete for honors in high school and grade school basketball, volleyball, chess, badminton, table tennis, taekwondo, swimming, football and rugby football as well as high school lawn tennis, baseball, softball, track and field, basketball 3-on-3, futsal, football and bowling.

Dacs executive director Jimmie-Loe Dela Vega, in Wednesday's press conference held at the Dacs office in Juna Subdivision, said it is transformative in nature as it focuses not only on the competition but values formation.

“It usual that we come up with a theme that reflects who we are as an association of Catholic schools,” Dela Vega added.

Philippine Women’s College sports development office head Dr. Leah Cabang, chairman for cheerdance and volleyball tournament, also said that a coaches' forum is set before the games to remind coaches on their roles in the lives of the athletes.

Danny Louie Lico, OSA representative of SPCT, will host this year's opening program. He said the hosting is a challenge but he still thanked Dacs for the opportunity.